Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

A lot of anticipation for Prince Harry’s tell-all book out later this year. It’s now being alleged he may go for Prince Charles and Camilla in the memoir. One royal author says Harry can’t stand Camilla and takes issue with her becoming queen. It’s also alleged that he’ll touch on his rift with his brother Prince William. Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams joined Kate Hawkesby. LISTEN ABOVE Se...

Charles Leclerc has completed a dominant weekend in his Ferrari after converting his pole position into a comprehensive triumph in the Australian Grand Prix on Sunday. The 24-year-old Leclerc extended his lead in the drivers' championship while claiming his second win of the season following victory in the season-opening race in Bahrain. Leclerc was able to hold off Red Bull rival Max Verstappen d...

So as we slide towards the Easter break this week there will be many in tourism and hospo keeping their fingers and toes crossed that this week sees the long-awaited move to the Orange Traffic Light. Remember at the last announcement of a possible announcement we were told we’d get another update this week? Thursday the Pulpit of Truth will be returned to, for more conjecture on the state of our C...

Ukraine's President says his country is bracing for a "hard battle" to come in eastern Ukraine. Volodymyr Zelenskyy says while everyone would like to see a diplomatic end to the war, Ukrainians are ready to stand their ground. Officials are urging civilians to flee eastern regions, particularly the south-eastern Donbas region. Europe correspondent Gavin Grey told Kate Hawkesby there's now a race t...

A former senior Labour MP says the party's treatment of Louisa Wall looks bad for Labour. The outgoing MP told TVNZ's Q+A programme that Jacinda Ardern said she would never be a cabinet minister under her leadership. She says she often felt unwelcome in the party. Peter Dunne left Labour to set up United Future and told Kate Hawkesby what Wall's saying doesn't reflect the party's stated values. “T...

Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday announced plans to build more nuclear power plants, boost renewable energy production and further tap domestic oil and gas reserves to help the U.K. reduce its dependence on Russian energy following the invasion of Ukraine. Critics quickly panned Johnson’s energy security strategy for focusing almost entirely on boosting supplies while doing little to incre...

Questions over whether the current Police Minister is up to the job. New figures show police response times have risen in almost every part of the country over the past five years and tripled in some regions. Minister Poto Williams responded by saying it's an operational matter and Covid-19 was playing a big part.  Former minister National's Paula Bennett told Kate Hawkesby Williams needs to be do...

Consumers are hoping to weed out the rotten eggs in the chocolate industry this Easter. The annual Chocolate Scorecard study surveyed 38 confectionary companies across the world. They found more and more are trying to improve ethically sourcing ingredients and their environmental impact. Be Slavery Free co-director Fuzz Kitto told Kate Hawkesby there's pressure on the companies to act. “Consumers...

I’m not averse to banning fizzy drinks in schools. I know many schools have already done it, some schools even have a water-only policy for drink bottles, and that all happened without too much pushback.  There was, a few years ago, a big push to clear out tuck shops of all junk food too. Remember in the bad old days when we could get donuts, pies, Chelsea buns with icing, hot chips? Those days we...

Rules requiring local body candidates to put residential addresses on campaign advertisements are being described as outdated. Stories of harassment towards public figures, particularly women, are rising. They come as we head towards local body elections in October. Waitaki Deputy Mayor Melanie Tavendale, who's not standing for re-election, told Kate Hawkesby it feels like an invasion of privacy....

This time yesterday I was talking about the disconnect between Wellington and Auckland and how much of an echo chamber it is; how out of touch they are. I referenced the way Ashley Bloomfield had dismissively written off the red light as no big deal. He seemed dismissive and over it, and just a few hours later we learned why.   He’s going. And who can blame him? I get it.  Who wouldn't be over it...

Changes coming up in the health sector are thought to be part of the reason why Ashley Bloomfield's resigned.  The Director-General of Health, Director of Public Health Caroline McElnay, and her deputy, are all leaving the Ministry of Health.  The DHB model's set to be replaced in July.  Health commentator, Ian Powell, told Kate Hawkesby Bloomfield's wrong when he says it's a good time to go in te...

President Biden has announced more sanctions on Russia – including Putin’s two adult daughters?  And Oklahoma has moved closer to passing a near-total ban on abortion?  US correspondent Katherine Firkin joined Kate Hawkesby.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Concerns there's no regulation when it comes to ordering alcohol, vaping products, and tobacco through online delivery platforms.  A study shows the pandemic's created a surge in people buying these products – with little oversight from the government.  One of the co-authors, Hannah Miles, from the University of Otago Christchurch's Population Health Department, joined Kate Hawkesby.  LISTEN ABOVE...

A security expert says New Zealand may have too little weaponry to send to Ukraine.   The Defence Minister has asked Cabinet to send anti-tank missiles and lethal support over, but his request's been declined.   Victoria University Centre for Strategic Studies' Jim Rolfe told Kate Hawkesby one reason could be a group in Cabinet prefers non-lethal support.  “Another possible thought is that the num...

Flights are being cancelled in the UK due to staff shortages.  Two “stolen” notebooks written by Charles Darwin have been mysteriously returned.  UK and Europe correspondent Gavin Grey joined Kate Hawkesby.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Workers at Countdown are unhappy with the supermarket's plan to change their Covid-19 leave policy.  Countdown had allowed staff to use extra leave instead of using their sick leave when they have to isolate due to covid.  But now it wants workers to use their sick leave first instead.  Other companies have made these same changes including Fletcher Buildings.  First Union organiser Ragda Hassan j...

The entrance to Wellington's Embassy Theatre is to be restored to its former glory.   The project's being financed by former mayor Dame Kerry Prendergast and his husband – former Wellington City Council member – Rex Nicholls.  They've loaned the Embassy Theatre Trust just over a million dollars to get the job done.   Nicholls told Kate Hawkesby the theatre's already magnificent on the inside.  Nic...

I thought Ashley Bloomfield said something quite revealing on Mike’s show yesterday about where the hospital system is at.  We know there are more than 700 people in hospital with Covid related illnesses but that’s not in hospital because of Covid – that’s in hospital with Covid related illnesses. Unfortunately, Bloomfield said they don’t know specifically the breakdown on how many of those are in...

Looks like the Government’s back to listening to Rod Jackson. I started the week so optimistically yesterday. I was so full of hope that we’d be going to an orange light, after all, we’re through the peak, especially in Auckland, we’re largely double vaxxed and boosted, we’re still in masks, we’ve done everything we’ve been asked to do.. but nope, we’re staying in red. I just don’t know when this...

People are being warned to expect more rises to mortgage interest rates. Kiwibank has lifted its standard 5-year home loan rate to 6.79 percent, the highest since 2014. Umbrella Company mortgage advisor, Sara Hartigan, says as a country, we've been conditioned to very low interest rates but it's not going to stay like that. She told Kate Hawkesby there are many things affecting interest rates, suc...

The country's ski industry is grappling to fill 250 specialised roles before the Australians arrive. With the border beginning to reopen next week - places such as Queenstown are bracing for what could be its biggest ski seasons on record. But the industry wants a class exemption to get the needed workers into the country, and are waiting to hear from Immigration New Zealand. Cardrona and Treble C...

New Zealand staying in red will help give the health system more breathing space. The Government has decided not to change our traffic light settings, with hospitalisations not expected to peak in parts of the country until mid to late April. Cabinet will reassess Thursday of next week. College of Emergency Nurses member Sandy Richardson told Kate Hawkesby this'll give time to see whether what's h...

As the Russian military shifts its campaign to focus on the east and south of Ukraine, Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak has called on the US and its allies to deliver heavier weaponry to the ex-Soviet nation. "After the rapid retreat of the Russians from Kyiv and Chernihiv, it is clear that Russia has prioritized another tactic -- to move east/south, to control large occupied terri...

Alyssa Healy struck 170 from 138 balls in one of the finest one-day international innings to power Australia to victory over England in the Cricket World Cup final. Healy went on from a run-a-ball century to record the second-highest ODI score by an Australian woman and to lead Australia to an extraordinary total of 356-5 as they batted after losing the toss at Hagley Oval in Christchurch. It was...